Downton Abbey's Lady Sybil and Matthew Crawley could've died together

'Downton Abbey' writer and creator Julian Fellowes has confessed he would've considered killing Lady Sybil off in the same car crash as Matthew Crawley if he'd known actor Dan Stevens planned to quit the show sooner

'Downton Abbey' creator Julian Fellowes would have killed Lady Sybil in the same car crash as Matthew Crawley.

Lady Mary Crawley's husband Matthew (Dan Stevens) was tragically killed off in a car crash in the 2012 Christmas special but Julian has now confessed it could have been an even more emotional day if he'd known in advance that Dan was quitting.

He said: "It was tough really because Jessica [Brown Findlay - Lady Sybil] had said she was going to leave right from the beginning. She said, 'I'm doing three years, then I'm leaving.' So that was all worked out.

"But Dan only decided to leave when we were about to start filming, already written five episodes and cast them. I couldn't do more funerals, more memorials.

"If he'd decided right at the beginning, I probably would have killed them together in a car crash."

Instead, fans of the ITV period drama saw Lady Sybil die after suffering from pre-eclampsia following the birth of her and her husband Tom Branson's daughter.

Julian has also teased the upcoming 2015 Christmas special, which will also serve as the last ever episode of the much-loved show.

He told Radio Times.com: "The final series is about resolving the show in a way that I hope is emotionally satisfying."